Couch-bed.



J. M. RICHARDSON.

COUCH BED.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22. 19l6.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

l I a land it has for its ObjCl) to provide a simple,

inviriin STATES PATENT orator.

JOHN M. RICHARDSON, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

GOUGI-LBED.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN M. RICHARD- sox', a citizen of the United States, andresident of Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch- Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention refers to foldable couch beds economical and effective connectingmechanism between pivotally mountedback and seat members of the couch, whereby backward swinging movement of the seat from its normal position will impart an upward swinging movement to the back, to thus clear the said back and seat preparatory to eX- tending the foldable bed body, the mechanism being such that cramping of the parts is eliminated and they are so balanced that they can be moved into their two positions with the exertion of comparatively little power.

My invention is particularly adapted for couch beds such as disclosed in my application for patent for improvements in couch beds, Serial No. 3071 1, filed May 27, 1915.

With the above object in view the invention consists in what is herein shown, decribed and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of a couch bed embodying the features of my invention, the back and seat members being positioned normally for the purpose of utilizing the furniture as a couch, and Fig. 2, a similar sectional view showing the parts folded, whereby the two part bed body may be extended for the purpose of utilizing the device as a bed.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents the end piece of a skeleton couch frame, there being two of the same which are connected by a front sill 2 and upper and lower back sills 8, 3. A two-part foldable bed body a is suitably mounted within the frame back of the sill 2, which bed body forms no part of my present invention. The end pieces carry pintles 5 which engage ears 6 that project from the rear portion of a seat member A that is suitably upholstered and the rear extremity of the seat member has secured thereto suitable counter-balance weights 7, the front of the seat being adapted to rest upon the sill 2. I

As shown in Fig. 1 the seat is in its nor- Serial No. 73,532.

mal position and a suspended back member B is positioned above the rear end of the seat, being pivotally mounted upon pintles 8 at its upper end, which pintles extend from Specification of Letters Patent. Patgntgd Sept, 19, 1916,

Application filed January 22, 1916. i

the end pieces of the skeleton frame. lVhen in the position shown in Fig. 1, the couch is adapted to present an artistic appearance and the bed body and other mechanisms are all concealed from view.

The back member is preferably in the form of a box as shown and has extending from its rear face an ear'9 and the free end of the box portion of said back is provided with a swinging lid B, whereby this box portion may be closed and is particularly adapted to receive pillows or other articles pertaining to the bed element of the couch.

Mounted rearwardly of the suspended seat member are a pair of toothed segments 11, 11, which segments are revoluble upon studs 12 that are carried by the skeleton frame. These toothed segments are intermeshed and each is provided with an arm 13, the said arms being connected by links 14:, l t, with the ears 9 and 6 respectively of the seat and back members, it being understood that two sets of the segments are utilized to accomplish the desired link gear connection of the seat and back.

From the foregoing description it is manifest that when it 18 desired to open the couch for utilizing the same as a bed, a slight lift lng movement upon the free end of the seat member, due to its counterbalance weights,

will cause it to swing upwardly and back wardly about its pivots and this motion is imparted to the seat member through the link gear connection, whereby said seat member is swung upwardly to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. The movement when completed thus causes the seat member to assume a vertical position with its free edge directly under the bottom face of the back member and slightly forward of its pivotal point. The parts being thus folded it is manifest that the two part bed body can be swung outwardly in the manner described in my application for patent previously referred to.

It is noted particularly by reference to Fig. 2, that by reason of the movement of the pivotal connection of the link 14 and arm 13 past an imaginary line intersecting the pivotal connections of the arm and link with the frame and back member respectively, that the back member and seat member, when open positioned as shown in Fig. 2, will be locked and self-sustaining in their position and, furthermore, it will be observed that any tendency of the back member to sag will be opposed by the free end of the seat member which may ens gagingly support said back member. This travel across the imaginary line referred to of the link connection, between the segment 1). and. the ear 9 of the back member, also serves to slightly lift said back mem ber upon an initial movement downwardly of the free end ofthe seat member, whereby there is no tendency to a snarling move ment and the parts will thus ride freely to their normal positions of rest as shown in Fig. 1, the gear connection at all times serving as a means of transmitting motion from one of the elements mentioned to the other, whereby cramping of the parts is eliminated and said parts can be moved easily and readily with the exertion of a very little force.

It is obvious that while I have described a specific structure for carrying out my invention, that the elements connecting the seat and back, constituting the link gear mechanism, may be varied within the scope of the skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention, It is also within the scope of my invention to utilize means such as an eccentric for controlling the link movement between the seat and back members in some instances as a sub stitute for the toothed gear connection.

I claim:

1. In a foldable couch bed having a skeletonv frame, a seat having its rear end in pivotal union with the frame, a back having its upper end in pivotal union with said frame, the back and seat having ears extending therefrom adjacent to their pivot points; the combination of intermeshed toothed sectors in pivotal union with the frame, the same being positioned rearwardly of the back member, and links connecting the ears of said back and seat member re spectively to the sectors.

2. In a folda-ble couch bed having a skeleton frame, a seat having its rear end in pivotal union with the frame, a back hav- Gepies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

its rear portion in pivotal union therewith a d adapted to be normally positioned horizontally, a back member having its upper end in pivotal union with the frame and adapted to be normally positioned vertically with its free end in juxtaposition to the rear end of theseat, and a link gear connection between the seat and back menr bers so arranged that backward swing of the seat member upon its pivot points will impart an upward swing to the back member whereby the free end of the seat member will be positioned under theback member and in advance of its pivot points.

4, A couch frame, a seat member having its rear portion in pivotal union therewith and adapted to be normally positioned horizontally, a back member having its upper end in pivotal union with the frame and adapted to be normally positioned vertically with its free end in juxtaposition to the rear end of the seat, a link pivoted to the back member and a link secured to the seat member and connected with the first named link whereby backward swinging of the said member upon its pivot will impart an upward swing to the back member whereby the free end of the seat member will be positioned under the back member and in advance of its pivot,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN M. RICHARDSON. WVitnesses:

CHAS. W. JEFFRIES, Lou s K. GRAHAM.

Washington, :D. G. 

